NFL fans love labeling quarterbacks as “busts” way too quickly. The league’s history shows us talented quarterbacks getting buried by bad situations more than actual lack of skill. In the 2024 season, Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold – two guys who got thrown into the NFL fire and got burned early, are now franchise heroes. Funny to think they were once on the same roster. Baker Mayfield’s story is one of redemption and heart. From getting dumped by the Panthers to leading Tampa Bay straight to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold found his stride with the Vikings after years of struggling to find his place in New York with the Jets, and then as a backup in Carolina and San Fransisco. Their success wasn’t just about their talent finally showing up – it was about landing in the right spot at the right time.
The NFL quarterback graveyard keeps getting bigger each year. But watching these two rise from the ashes tells us something important – quarterbacks need more than just a strong arm and quick feet. They need coaches who understand them, systems built for their skills, and most importantly, time to figure it all out. The path from draft day to NFL success rarely goes according to plan.
Help the QB Succeed
Let’s talk about what really makes a quarterback tick in the NFL. The best teams in the league aren’t stubborn with their playbooks. They look at what their quarterback does well and build from there. But this only happens when coaching staffs are willing to adjust their offense to fit their guy’s strengths.
The additional secret to success is stability. From 2000-2022, teams keeping their coaching staff intact (three or fewer head coaches) won 60.2% of their games. That’s the difference between making the playoffs and watching from home. First-time starting quarterbacks tell the same story. Put them with stable coaching staffs, and watch their success rate jump in year one. The proof is right there – give quarterbacks a steady hand at the wheel, and they’ll show you what they’ve got. Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield’s stories are hard to cheer against. Two quarterbacks, both labeled as busts, both finding escaping pitiful NFL franchises. Their parallel journeys show us exactly what happens when talent meets opportunity
Sam Darnold is a pro-bowler
— Dylan (@nyjetsfansonly) January 2, 2025
This Josh McCown quote from when he was drafted hits different now 💔 pic.twitter.com/T1HNFjYoo6
QB Career Revivals Past 3 Years:
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) January 4, 2025
2024: Sam Darnold
2023: Baker Mayfield
2022: Geno Smith
Who’s going to save their career next? 💭 pic.twitter.com/rEsEdDZtuM
Darnold’s Journey from Jets to Vikings
The Jets chapter of Sam Darnold’s career wasn’t pretty. His first throw of his career was a pick six in Detroit. After a bad start, New York chewed him up and spit him out before shipping him to Carolina in 2021. Many fans still blame the Jets and coach Adam Gase to this very day. The Panthers didn’t work out either, but something clicked during his stop in San Francisco. Kyle Shanahan’s system gave him that lightbulb moment he needed. Then finally the opportunity to start came in Minnesota and he has taken advantage of it. Darnold lit up the scoreboard in 2024 with 4,319 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. He has played well enough that the Vikings organization has to seriously consider how to move froward after this year. Will they keep Darnold in front of JJ McCarthy, or will Darnold move on elsewhere
Browns Fans Miss Baker
Baker Mayfield was a certified nomad trying to find a home – Cleveland, Carolina, Los Angeles. The Browns gave up on him after four years, even though he showed flashes of brilliance and served them a playoff win! in favor of Deshaun Watson, which has proved to be a complete nightmare. That quick stop with the Rams? Game-changer. Sean McVay helped Baker find his swagger again. But Tampa Bay? That’s where the magic really started. Mayfield went absolutely nuclear in 2024, dropping 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns on the league.
Baker Mayfield final regular season stats
— matt (@OCPDesigns) January 5, 2025
4,500 yards
41 passing TDs
16 ints
71.4% completion %
106.8 passer rating pic.twitter.com/UeF5tVVjj9
Cleveland Browns dumpster fire:
— James (@FloGrownPatriot) January 5, 2025
Traded away Baker Mayfield who is now a star on the Bucs.
Paid $250M for QB DeShaun Watson, who has played 19 games in three seasons.
Losing your star DE Myles Garrett.
Fired OC and Oline coach after one season.
Your franchise is absolute TRASH
Common struggles and turning points
These guys faced the same demons early on. Playbooks changing with coaches coming and going like revolving door with the fear that the rich owners upstairs are pulling the plug way too quick. But 2024? That’s when everything clicked. The Vikings and Bucs gave them what they needed. Coaches they have built chemistry with, talented receiving corps making plays and front offices that actually believed in them.
From “bust” to Pro Bowl – that’s what happens when you give talented quarterbacks a real shot. These guys didn’t just get better – their teams finally figured out how to use them right. You might think quarterback success is all about arm talent and football IQ. Truth is, these guys need the right setup around them – like a chef needs the right ingredients to cook up something special. The numbers don’t lie – great receivers make quarterbacks look good. Just look at Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions, sitting pretty with the top rated offense while earning the one-seed in the NFC. When you’ve got weapons like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta making plays, you can uncover the true and maximized potential of the quarterback. Jared Goff was always good, but many wrote him off follow the Rams Super Bowl loss in 2018.
Offensive line importance
Let me tell you something about protection – it’s everything. It is the difference between good and great teams. Sometimes even great teams come up short in Super Bowls because of sustained pressures. These quarterbacks barely got touched all season. If you ask me, nothing matters more than keeping your quarterback clean. Been watching football my whole life, and I’ve never seen a quarterback win Super Bowls while running for his life or lying on their back every play.
Breaking the ‘Bust’ Label
Mental resilience and grit isn’t just some fancy buzzwords in quarterback development. The numbers tell us something interesting – quarterbacks who can take a punch and keep throwing show up better in the long run. Watch any quarterback who’s stuck around 8+ years, they have all had the struggle of switching playbooks and adapting to new schemes. It is like learning a new language while playing chess blindfolded. These guys have 40 seconds between plays to process everything. They have to read the defense, remember new terminology, and make the right call.
The NFL quarterback story isn’t what most people think. Raw talent? That’s just the price of admission. The real magic happens when you pair that arm talent with the right setup. Just like the old saying goes – put a Ferrari engine in a broken-down car, and you’re not winning any races. System fit, coaching stability, and quarterback excellence all play their part in this game. Tampa Bay and Minnesota figured this out, and look what happened. If you ask me, the NFL needs to slow down with these “bust” labels. First-round quarterbacks aren’t plug-and-play superstars – they’re more like raw diamonds waiting to be cut. Teams better learn this lesson quick, or they’ll keep watching their “failed” quarterbacks perform elsewhere.
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